Rafa wants Europa League glory at Chelsea

Rafael Benitez has set his sights on winning the Europa League with Chelsea, after their ignominious exit from the Champions League.

Their 6-1 trouncing of Danish side Nordsjaelland on Wednesday was not enough to keep the Blues in Europe’s premier competition.

Their third-place told BBC Sport. “We want to go as far as we can. If we can win the competition that is what we will try to do.

“The Europa League is not important when you can’t win it,” he added. “When you are in the semi-final or final everybody wants to win it. Every competition is important to us and we will try to win it if we can.”

Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League earned them the unenviable tag of becoming the first ever reigning champions to be eliminated at the group stages.

With their fate already out of their hands, after last month’s defeat to Juventus – Roberto Di Matteo’s last match in charge – Benitez will be happy with the team’s performance in his first win at the Stamford Bridge helm.

The Spaniard, who was booed once again despite the result, will be encouraged by last night’s display a week before travelling to Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup. Benitez won the competition two years ago with Inter Milan.